We discuss fabrication of InGaAs quantum dot structures using the self-assembling growth technique with the Stranski-Krastanow growth mode in MOCVD, including optical ploperties of the nano-structures. The formation process of the quantum dot islands was clarified by observing the samples grown under various conditions with an atomic force microscope. A trial for self-alignment of the quantum dots was also investigated. On the basis of these results, as the first step toward the ultimate semiconductor lasers in which both electrons and photons are fully quantized, a vertical microcavity InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot laser was demonstrated. Finally a perspective of the quantum dot lasers is discussed, including the bottleneck issues and the impact of the quantum dot structures for reducing threshold current in wide bandgap lasers such as GaN lasers.

Fabrication methods of novel silicon quantum wires and dots using anisotropic wet chemical etching and thermal oxidation are newly proposed. The method realizes fine Si quantum wires, which are fully surrounded by the thermal SiO2 without any defects. The wires are straight and the Si/SiO2 interfaces are fairly flat. The 10 nm width wires are confirmed by Transmitting Scanning Microscopy observation in minimum size. The fine quantum dots are also fabricated using this method. The characteristics of the wires are investigated and the current oscillations in variation with the gate voltage are observed in low temperature. We believe the origin of these oscillations arise from one-dimensional subband conduction.